I have notice that my mouth is getting smaller. It's not something that other people can see but I know how big I can open my mouth now and it's less than before.
Maybe It is too much vanity but I am really scare about this. I don't want to look diferent.
To make things worst, when I eat, I feel like the food is taking longer to go down. Like if it were stuck. It even hurts a little. I don't know if this is heart burn or if I started having problems with my esophagus (sp).
Have any of my friends in the forum have this kind of problem? If so, what were the syntoms?
When I was diagnosed I felt like my life was over. Then after a couple of years I started feeling like I was going to be one of the people with no problems, just some pain. Now, even though my tests are usually good, I feel and I see I am changing. I guess I am feeling low and that tomorrow I will feel better. I wish there was something, a magic pill or anything that will make this all go away. I DO NOT want to have this anymore. It is hard to live your life normally when you don't know what is goin to happen in the future.
Well, enough of this. I better get up and go exercise. It always make me feel better.

I have the small mouth too. It is hard to deal with seeing the changes to our bodies but if it's any comfort, remember that everyone's body is changing with age.

Sometimes it is hard to look in the mirror or to look at old photos of myself and the way I used to look. But I keep reminding myself, I'd look different than those old photos even without scleroderma. We all change as we grow older.

Sometimes I'll use those old photos as an inspiration to treat and take care of my body as well as I can, to look as good as I can with what I've got. Once in awhile I'll give myself a spa day (or hour) at home.

Mouth and face stretching exercises help a bit.

Here are a few:

Seriously though, I think there is a link to some face stretching exercises maybe a moderator can provide. But these are pretty much what they look like!

About your esophagus problems, I would suggest telling your doctor about it. He/she may want to take a look down there. Also if you're having reflux you might want to consider proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec.

I have been experiencing the same problems with swallowing food, it just feels as if it is very slow to move down or seems to get stuck right in the middle of my chest. I also get a little acid reflux - can't bend down to tie laces etc but the doctor has given a pron pump in hibitor called Omeprazole. It has made me feel a little better, the worst is I really like fresh crunchy bread but this I have real problems eating now even when I chew & chew it feels like I'm swallowing a lump of concrete. My general practitioner said it was the SSc

It was my rheumatologist who noticed my mouth pulling in, my top lip is very thin now & barely visisble. It is so difficult watching the changes to our appearance but like barefut says everyone is changing as we get older!!! One good thing I've found is that at the moment I look 10 years younger than my twin sister because of the tightening of skin on my face.

Hi Ani,
Yeah I know what you're feeling in regards to your mouth. Mine is shrinking too. I would do mouth stretches like Bareful said and it really does help. Make sure you have chapstick with you as the corners of my lips would crack if I didn't have lots of chapstick on when I stretched my lips and mouth. I also try to be careful and not eat tall foods, like club sandwiches or anything that might be too big. I don't want it to scrape the roof of my mouth.

hearts & health,
peanut

You can deprive the body but the soul needs chocolatemy HMO makes me wear a helmet...

Hi all. I too have shrinking mouth. I just love it when my dentist says "open wider" THEN the hmm ... no bigger?? Once when I got a cap put on I thought I had totally lost it - it didn't fit & the doctor pushed it in ... not very comfortable I'll admit! But, eventually it just pushed other teeth. My mom & dad spent thousands on my teeth so they'd be straight, all in vain for the bottom half! Top half doesn't seem as small & now my bite is "weird" cause the top & bottom don't match up! Just gotta love these complications. The more we smile (even if crooked) the better we'll feel - I promise!

I'm sorry to hear about the changes you are having. Don't worry about being vain, I think we are all. I'm noticing some real changes with my upper lip. I keep wanting to get injections, but my husband says he loves my lips and doesn't want me to change them. I'll keep working on him.

Thanks for all the answers. I even found some of the answers very funny. I will start with the mouth exercises and I will talkt o my doctor about the food getting stuck in the middle of my chest.
Great day for all

Hi Ani, Like Barefut and Peanut I recommend facial exercises. My face started tightening a few months ago and I was pretty upset about it. I have been doing the facial and mouth exercises and I really do feel it has made a difference.
Lizzie